1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for elevating a vehicle seat via a door opening between a vehicle inside and a vehicle outside.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, it has been well known that a height adjuster for a seat of a vehicle of this type are described in Japanese Patent No. 3042326 and JP 2005-53247 A.
The height adjuster described in Japanese Patent No. 3042326 is provided with a pair of guide rails disposed to be opposed to each other on a floor face of a vehicle; a runner member that moves forward or backward along each of the guide rails; a ball screw that causes this runner member to move forward or backward; a motor that rotates this ball screw; lift arms mounted by one pair at the left and right of the runner member; a lift base that is elevated via each of the lift arms, the lift base on which a physically-handicapped person seat is placed; a rotation device mounted on this lift base, the rotation device rotating the physically-handicapped person seat; and lift guide rollers each mounted at an end part of each of the guide rails, the lift guide roller that elevates and guides a lower lift arm.
In addition, the rotation device is operated, the physically-handicapped person seat is rotated at 90 degrees toward a door opening, a motor is activated, and then, the ball screw is rotated. In this manner, the runner member moves toward the door opening along each of the guide rails, and then, the lift base linked with the runner member via the lift arm moves to the door opening side along each of the guide rails. At this time, a lower face of the lower lift arm is further lowered and swung out while it is supported in abutment with the lift guide roller, and then, the physically-handicapped person seat placed on the lift base is also gradually swung out to the outside.
The height adjuster described in JP 2005-53247 A is provided with a swivel mechanism for swiveling a seat; a slide mechanism for sliding a seat; and an adjuster mechanism for elevating a seat through a door opening. The adjuster mechanism is provided with a pair of left and right guide rails that extends toward the door opening; a base plate that can slide along each of the guide rails; link arms turnably assembled by one pair at the left and right of the base plate; a seat mount base mounted on a front end of each of the link arms; rotatable, columnar engagement portions each provided rearward of each lower link arm; and cam members each engaged with each of the engagement portions and movably supporting each of the lower link arms.
In addition, by means of the swivel mechanism, a seat is swiveled up to a position opposed to the door opening, and, by means of the slide mechanism, a mount base on which the seat has been placed is slid up to a position that protrudes from the door opening to the vehicle outside. Subsequently, by means of the slide mechanism, when the base plate advances, the engagement portion of the lower link arm moves along an engagement face of the cam member, and then, the seat supported on the mount base is lowered in a horizontal state at trajectory that corresponds to the shape of the engagement face of the cam member.
[Prior Art 1] Japanese Patent No. 3042326 (Paragraphs 11 to 15 and FIG. 1) is incorporated herein by reference.
[Prior Art 2] JP 2005-53247 A (Paragraph 14 and FIG. 2 to FIG. 6) is incorporated herein by reference.